Canada Post has locked out the CUPW and closed down all operations as of June 15th. No mail is being accepted or processed as of this morning. One of the key questions is how long it will last? The last nationwide work stoppage was in 1997, lasting about two weeks and ending only after the Parliament passed mandatory back to work legislation. Though impossible to predict the length of this one, a bad indication is the lack of compromise up to this point.
Below is some detailed information published from Canada Post. We will update you as new developments are received.
Lockout at Canada Post – What It Means To Customers
Following 12 days of increasingly costly and damaging rotating strikes being carried out by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), Canada Post has suspended operations across the country.
The following is an overview of what the lockout situation means to you as customers:
Mail Deposit and Delivery
- All mail processing plants and letter carrier depots are closed and all facilities have been secured. No new mail will be accepted. Large volume mailers cannot deposit or receive mail.
- Mail delivery is suspended to all addresses served by letter carriers represented by the CUPW (Urban). Some mail delivery will continue over the first few days of the lockout to clear mail remaining in the system in suburban and rural areas where delivery employees are represented by a different bargaining unit.
- Street letter boxes, mail slots on community mail boxes and other Canada Post mail-receiving equipment have been cleared and sealed to prevent mail from being deposited.
- Through a previous agreement, Canada Post and CUPW will ensure that a number of socio-economic cheques will be delivered on June 20. Please visit canadapost.ca/cheques for more information.
Post Offices
- All post offices staffed by CUPW members are closed.
- Post offices located in suburban and rural areas staffed by members of the Canadian Postmasters and Assistants (CPAA) continues to be open but cannot accept new mail.
- Authorized dealer post offices are also open but cannot accept new mail. Some dealer post offices may be operating at reduced hours.
- Post offices that remain open offer limited products such as MoneyGram and Money Orders but no new mail will be accepted. Many open post offices will also have parcels and other mail items delivered prior to the lockout available for customers to pick up.
Electronic Services
- Canada Post’s website, canadapost.ca, is fully operational and offers up-to-date information on the labour situation.
- The Electronic Shipping Tools and Online Business Center are operational, but some functions may be limited.
- Epost is fully operational and remains a recommended tool for consumers to use for important communications and to receive statements and effect payments to many financial institutions, utilities and retailers.
Service Guarantees
- Effective immediately, all service guarantees are suspended, pending resolution of the labour situation. Check product terms and conditions on canadapost.ca for more information.
Duration
- Canada Post cannot predict how long the current labour situation will last. They are making every attempt to reach a settlement and resume normal operations as soon as possible.
Posted by Jack Widener
American Business Media Postal Consultant
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